So I’ll admit it—I didn’t expect to love a robot vacuum. I always figured they were more of a “cool to have” thing than actually useful. But after six months with the Zigma Spark 980, I have to eat my words. This little disc has become one of my favorite low-key gadgets at home.
My place isn’t huge, but it’s chaotic
I live in a two-bedroom apartment with hardwood floors, a rug in the living room, and two cats who seem to think shedding is their job. I bought the Zigma Spark 980 on a whim during a sale, mostly hoping it would cut down on the constant cat hair tumbleweeds. Spoiler: it did. And then some.
The first run was surprisingly quiet, and I remember standing there watching it, half-expecting it to get stuck every two minutes. It didn’t. It zipped around the couch legs, slipped under the TV stand, and somehow figured out how to wedge itself into my hallway, clean, and back out like a tiny escape artist.
Mapping and navigation? Weirdly satisfying
It uses LIDAR to map your space, and the app shows this weirdly satisfying real-time map as it cleans. Watching it trace little lines like a digital Roomba Picasso is kind of addictive. I set up no-go zones for where I keep power strips and cords, and it respects them religiously.
At one point, I had a pile of laundry on the floor and forgot to move it. The Spark just skirted it like, “Not my job,” and kept going. Genuinely impressive.
Scheduling changed my routine
I set it to run every other morning around 9 AM, right after I leave for work. That one little change has made my apartment feel consistently cleaner without me lifting a finger. I’ve stopped sweeping entirely, and I vacuum with a regular upright maybe once every two weeks now, tops. The Spark handles the daily grind, and it’s way more thorough than I expected.
One fun bonus: when friends come over, they always notice how clean my place feels. I’ve started calling it my “invisible roommate.”
The dustbin situation
Okay, real talk: the dustbin is small. Like, I empty it every two or three runs. But I kind of like that? It’s become part of my Sunday routine—empty the Spark, check the filter, maybe wipe down the sensors. Weirdly satisfying, like feeding a pet that eats dirt.
It also handles pet hair like a champ. My upright vacuum used to get clogged constantly, but this one just keeps going. The rotating brush does need a little maintenance, especially with long cat hair, but it’s not a dealbreaker.
App control is where it shines
The Zigma app is surprisingly good. Clean UI, fast connections, and it actually remembers my Wi-Fi (a rare thing with smart home gear, let’s be honest). I can start a clean from work, tell it to spot-clean the kitchen, or pause if I forgot to move something. Total control, no fuss.
There’s voice control too—I linked it to Alexa—but I barely use it. It’s easier just tapping the app. Still, it’s cool when I feel like flexing.
A few quirks and surprises
It once tried to clean on top of a bath mat and ended up dragging it halfway into the hallway. That was… unexpected. Since then, I either fold up small rugs or use the no-go zone feature for certain spots.
Also, once it didn’t return to the dock properly and died halfway under the couch. That’s happened exactly once, and I think it was just confused by a chair I’d moved. Still, now I check the path is clear when I’m heading out.
How it compares to other robot vacs
Before this, I had a basic Eufy model (one of those low-end, bump-and-roll vacuums). It worked okay, but it was kind of dumb. The Zigma Spark 980 feels like a massive upgrade. It thinks. It learns. And it doesn’t randomly slam into walls like a lost puppy.
I haven’t tried the Roomba i7 or s9, so I can’t say how it stacks up against those. But for the price? The Spark 980 feels premium without the premium price. It does more than I expected for under $400.
Final verdict after months of use
The Zigma Spark 980 has officially earned its place in my tech lineup. It’s not just a gimmick—it’s a useful, dependable, oddly satisfying little robot that quietly makes my life better. My floors stay cleaner, I vacuum less, and I’ve got one less chore on my mental checklist.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Especially if you’ve got pets or just hate daily floor cleaning. It’s not perfect (what is?), but it nails the basics and throws in some smart features that genuinely add value.
I didn’t think I’d be the guy talking up a robot vacuum like it’s a life-changing gadget. But here I am, six months later, kind of obsessed with a little machine that eats dirt and never complains.